Hotel Treasures

My job entails some traveling and staying in different hotels from a couple of days to a week. One of the perks I truly enjoy while staying at hotels, aside from not making my bed every morning :-), are those tiny bottles of hand lotion, bath salt, shampoo and conditioner perfectly put together in the shower room.

{here are some of my stash}

I know its odd but I care about the quality of these small "hotel treasures" than hotel beds!

And yes I take them home {don't you?}. It's not a crime ... unless you are taking the soft terry bathrobe too {insert wink here}! Here's what I make out of these little treasures:

I put them in a pretty mesh pouch,

make a "welcome guest" card,

and voila ... I have an elegant and very practical

welcome gift for our overnight guests!

I usually place the goodies on the bed in the guest room with a couple of books and magazines before our guests arrive. I tell you, they never fail to make our families and friends feel so welcome. So, on your next trip, don't ignore these little treasures! You paid for them ... take them home (just leave the robe OK) and be creative!

Cheers,

The Power of 2 {challenges}

While dinner is in the oven, I was blog hopping and saw these 2 challenges:

Kristina's color inspiration

and CPS 103 card sketch

Here's my take....

Happy Friday folks! Have a fantastic weekend!

Trading Places

In our household, there's no doubt I'm the cook and Jayvee's the handyman. But yesterday we just found ourselves 'trading places'.

It all started with the cardboard storage boxes we bought from IKEA. If you are a fan of this store you know very well that every package comes with the wordless instruction sheet which I love to hate { can I use love and hate in one sentence?} and several little knots and bolts. I'm not usually good at following IKEA's instructions :-( but this time I'm determined to make these pieces of cardboard nothing but the same cute little boxes I saw on display!!!

After a couple of hours, I made it! Woohoo! I assembled

8 of these for my craft studio......

While I was so engrossed playing Bob the Builder in our home office,
my husband was in the kitchen trying to be "Chef Mario Batali"!

And look what he made us for dinner .... yum-O!

The end. Chow!

Heart's Day ... 23 years after

My first Valentine date was in 1986. Yes, it was with my husband and we were 19. He knew that I don't like chocolates {weird huh?} so he brought me this huge bag of fresh unpeeled pineapples and coconuts still in its husk as Valentine gifts! I knew right then that I'm going to marry him someday....

23 years after, minus the pineapples and coconuts, still no chocolates but the man remains - kind, loving, sensitive and caring. Thank you dear... each day with you becomes a Valentine!

Colors inspired by one of Dawn McVey's color combinations.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Frenzy Friday

Where did the week go? Can't believe it's Friday already. This is one of those weeks when I wish there are 48 hours in a day! The good thing about this .... I'm in my best element when I have limited time {lots of practice during exams in university}.

Woke up before dawn and can't go back to sleep anymore so I went to my studio. Some people need caffeine to perk them up first thing in the morning. I don't. The smell of papers and lotus flower {courtesy of Air Wick scented oil warmers :-) } in my craft studio will do the trick.

So, here's a couple of cards made at dawn ......

1st: Kristina's Color Inspiration #41


Here's my take....

This card would be perfect for a debutant.

2nd: Birthday Card for my friend Mike


Happy Friday! Karaoke here I come!

Blooming Pregnant Mama

No, I am not pregnant {in His time!} nor a mama {how I wish}. However, I'll settle for blooming!

We'll have a birthday lunch get together for my colleague Andrea who is 3 months preggy with her second child. I made this card for her. She is definitely a blooming pregnant mama! The only downside ... she can't have wine! Enjoy the card instead....

Sunday Service

{My hubby took this photo before sunset}

The Mother Superior in the convent where I stayed for a short while during my younger days (ok, there, another side of me that is known to only a few) said.... "Singing praise is twice the power of prayer". I don't know how true is that but if you think about it, if someone is singing all the time over your shoulder, would you not give in for the sake of your own sanity (specially if the voice is not really meant to carry a tune, uh, like mine!)?

Undaunted by my far from perfect singing voice, I recently revived my "singing career". I accepted my dear friend Percy's invitation to join our church choir. I'm so happy I did! I'm loving every minute of it: the wonderful and talented people I sing with, the late Wednesday night practices, the rush of adrenalin during the Mass, the wonderful feeling of hearing the congregation singing with us on every song, and maybe I'll get 2 points by singing my prayers :)!

So today I did an altered project for my hymns folder. Maybe I'll get another brownie point!

{I took the picture while the sun is setting on our front porch}

"Lord use our voices, Lord use our hands.
Lord use our lives they are yours.
We are a offering, we are an offering".
{click to listen}

Saturday Treasure Hunt

It was our plan to drive to Blue Mountain Village today for some winter photo shoot. Unfortunately, when we woke up at 7 AM it was gray, windy and cloudy. We don't want to spoil our Saturday just because the sun decided to take a day off so decided to go to our local strip mall instead but with a little twist .... we will play "cheap treasure hunting"! Rule:Visit our favorite stores and get the most out from the stores without spending a fortune! Off we go...



First stop:
Canadian Superstore Bakery

Treasure:
Smell of freshly baked breads

Amount:
$ 0.00

Second Stop:
HomeSense

Treasure:
Valentine color inspirations

Amount:
$ 0.00











Third Stop:
Winners

Treasure:
A smile from a leprechaun

Amount:
$ 0.00

Fourth Stop:
Liquor Store

Treasure:
Complete Guide to RED wine

Amount:
$ 0.00









Fifth Stop:
Chapters Bookstore

Treasure:
Decadent Brownies Recipe copied from a cookbook

Amount:
$ 0.00








Last Stop:
Starbucks

Treasure:
Grande Brewed Coffee

Amount:
$ 2.10 (tax included)

Enjoying our treasured time together: PRICELESS!!!

Cheers,

Pondering in the Powder Room

Have you ever spent more time in your powder room than what is considered normal? Are you like me who loves to read while you know...? Today, I did several trips to our main floor powder room :) and while in there an idea came to mind ... Project: Powder room makeover!!!! Why not? The main floor powder room is one of the most frequented room in the house specially if we have dinner guests. It's a room that I can do wonder without doing much or spending a fortune. Well, maybe I have to sacrifice a lot of patterned papers and stamps for a few months :( .


It's not that I don't like what we have now .... I think it quite chic with candles, flowers, nice frames, pedestal sink, coordinated floor mat and hand towels, big oval vanity mirror, magazines and books (to keep me amuse while in business!) most of all it's spotless and plumeria scented. I just know it can be better. I consulted my dependable idea book and here's a couple (pages torn from Style at Home magazine while waiting in the doctor's clinic - bad bad girl) that interest me....

Nice huh? Need to present the case to my hubby, the CEO! Wish me luck!

Pink and Brown for Valentine

I was able to spend some time in my craft studio this morning (hubby left super early!). In between shower, breakfast and dressing up for my 9 AM appointment, I worked on these two cards for Valentine's. Pink and brown seem to be the new red and black so I gave it a shot ....




There are 2 more unfinished cards on my desk. Maybe tomorrow ...

Billboard and Road Trip

If you happen to be walking along Times Square in New York city in the last couple of weeks, you may have seen our billboard. Oh how I wish! Unfortunately, or should I say fortunately, this is just one of the many tricks of technology.

I'm preparing for a work-related presentation so I surfed the net hoping that I will find modern ways to advertise. Instead I found this fun website makesweet.com. Take a look and make your own billboard. Wishes do come true, you know.

Since I'm already playing with this photo, might as well finish a layout ....

A captured moment of our last road trip to Washington D.C. The drive was 9 and 1/2 hours. Every 100 Kilometers, I took pictures of us in the car. That's why I love long drives ....
If you are bored on road trips, try this trick, it works for me all the time!

Happy Monday,